chaos_chroniclesfandomcom-20200214-history
M16A4
The Colt M16A4 was a select fire rifle used by the United States military during the 21st Century. Though this particular designation of the long-lived CAR-15 family of rifles and carbines has seen use starting in the mid 1950s, the M16A4 itself did not see usage until 1998 when it was adopted by the United States Army, though it had begun to see use with the United States Marine Corps by 2014, but not yet in larger numbers. Though the primary means of defense was the M16A2, an earlier variation of the weapon, Stargate Command (SGC) a United States Air Force exploration organization located within EUS-1712, utilized the M16A4 possibly to give the units under its command the greatest possible edge in combat with enemy forces. An interesting note is that within Home Universe, the M16A4 was noted to exist in roughly the same time period, though the design would go on to influence the M18 Rifle, which would later be used within the Interplanetary War of the mid 22nd Century. Description Like all members of the CAR-15 family, the M16A4 was notable for its carrying handle and its distinctive wedge-shaped forward sight. Primarily, the carrying handle was equipped with the weapon and possessed a small aperture sight that could be configured for long or short range combat with a dial to adjust for wind and distance on the side of the handle. However, the weapon was designed with a 'flat-top', meaning the handle could be removed and replaced with another optic to better suit the situation the user found themselves in. In addition to the top rail, the rifle was also equipped with four rails on its handguard which could be used for heat shielding, additional optics, lasers, foregrips, or underbarrel weapons. Modularity made the weapon useful for the US military as well as within civilian circles where it was better known as the semi-automatic only AR-15. The weapon utilized gas operation of a round exiting the barrel to reset the bolt, which rotated and locked to ensure that a cartridge was properly seated. The weapon ejected the round and used a small deflector mounted just outside of the breech to ensure the empty casing would not hit the user, particularly if the user was left-handed. The M16A4 was primarily fed by a thirty round STANAG (Standard Nato Agreement) magazine that was seen on many different weapons during the time period. It, like the weapon it was housed in was constructed of lightweight aircraft-grade aluminum to ensure low weight. The magazine held 5.56mm (also known as .223 caliber) rounds which were considered standard-grade intermediate cartridges of the era, though by the 33rd Century, the .223 was considered the lower range of the scale, supplanted by calibers such as the .308 becoming military standard with .378 caliber ammunition being standard for battle rifles and marksman rifles. Its ballistics made it favorable in close to mid-range engagements, with its effective range reaching 500 meters while the maximum range was around 3000 meters. When loading the first round, the user pulls back on a T-shaped charging handle located behind the main sight. This strips a round from the feed lips of the magazine and places it within the chamber. This charging handle does not reciprocate while firing. Upon emptying a magazine, the bolt of the weapon locks back. After replacing the ammunition, the user has two options to recharge the weapon: The first is to pull back on the charging handle, unlocking the bolt, and will drive the bolt forward on release. The second is the method more preferred. On the left side of the weapon, a paddle bolt release is located just above the magazine well. The user depresses the catch which will send the bolt forward, charging the gun and locking a round into the chamber. In the event that the cartridge is not set properly or if the bolt does not travel all the way, on the right side of the weapon behind the breech is a device known as a forward assist. The user presses the assist with their palm to manually drive the bolt forward, which is useful for clearing jams. Because of its light weight, servicemen could carry the weapon for long periods of time, and thanks to the modular nature of the weapon, almost every component could be swapped out to allow for the desired layout, though special forces units were more likely to take advantage of this fact. Within Home Universe, the M16A4 was replaced by three additional submodels before being completely replaced by the MA5 series of rifles. In universes like EUS-1712, the weapon continues to be of use to armed forces of the world. The M16A4 is a full length version of the weapon, though it did have a smaller cousin in the M4A1 Carbine, a cut down variant trusted for its further weight reduction and shorter barrel length from 20 inches to 14.5 inches, allowing the weapon to be more maneuverable in close combat. Its smaller frame allowed for quicker draws, though because of its smaller size, it did not have the same effective or maximum ranges of its larger counterpart. However, in battle, quicker motions in close quarters determined a victor. Special forces units were more likely to use this weapon as it was highly modular. List of Appearances * Cheyenne (First Appearance) Category:Weapon Category:Assault Rifle Category:Military